Coronavirus update

The Catholic Church has suspended public Mass and other liturgies to delay the spread of coronavirus, and the church is no longer open for private prayer.

Baptisms, First Confessions, First Holy Communions and Confirmations are postponed. Funerals, Requiem Masses and other services with a congregation in church are not permitted. Fr Peter will conduct a simple service with a limited number of people at the cemetery or crematorium and will celebrate a Mass in church privately for the deceased; this will normally take place on the day of burial or cremation.

We will continue to produce a weekly newsletter which will be available for downloading here as usual.

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you.

The Southwark Spirituality Commission are currently producing a weekly video each Sunday as a series of reflections on the Easter Sunday Gospel readings. Parishioners are welcome to sign up to receive these Easter reflections by email: http://eepurl.com/dcNmsv. The videos will also be shared on the RC Southwark Twitter account and Facebook page each Sunday afternoon.

There are some excellent liturgical resources for children and adults with learning difficulties who cannot go to church at present. Readings and prayers are presented in a format that a person with learning difficulties can easily access using signs and symbols. This is not meant to replace the opportunity to join in an online Mass or other service. The material, which is produced by the Kairos Forum, can be viewed on the internet at http://www.kairosforum.org/prayer-reflection/. You can follow their LivingFully Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/living.fully.92.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales have recently released, as part of the Dying Well project, a series of prayers for the dying including prayers for a loved one when it is not possible to be by their side.

Staying at home: a new resource for young people
Southwark Catholic Youth Service has worked with some 6th-form students on a mini-series "Christ is Alive". This is an invitation for young people to focus on staying spiritually healthy and to ponder some of the big questions about life, through journalling and prayer. This may be particularly relevant during this difficult time of lockdown. Young people are encouraged to take a look.www.youtube.com/southwarkcatholicyouthservice

Ten Ten
This dynamic theatre group has a wealth of excellent resources and are providing an "at home" Sunday liturgy aimed at young people. The group can be found at www.tentenresources.co.uk and on Twitter: @TenTen.

CatholicMom.com
A packed website full of interesting articles, Gospel reflections, culture and fun for the family.catholicmom.com

YouTube Kids
This app has a wealth of fun teaching videos for children and is worth exploring. An example might be this video about David and Goliath: youtu.be/ks6zl2hL2Uk. It can be downloaded on any Apple device and is also available on Google Play. It features a number of security settings for safer browsing. Click here for more information.

Domestic abuse

The Domestic Abuse Group of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has issued guidance on how Catholic parishes can support victims of domestic abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the UK-wide COVID-19 lockdown began on 23 March there has been a 49% increase in calls and online requests for help relating to domestic abuse.

The guidance includes information about how parishes can raise awareness of the issue, including a list of helplines and information about how to safely get help. It also includes a step-by-step starter guide for how parishes can work to support their local domestic abuse services with donations. Read more here.

The Pilgrim

To download a PDF of the May edition of our archdiocesan newspaper, The Pilgrim, click here. Amongst many excellent articles it includes details of Masses in various languages.

Keep in touch

We have a parish mailing list which we are using to send to parishioners a weekly email including a direct link to the newsletter. Joining the mailing list is straightforward - just follow this link and fill in the short sign-up form: http://eepurl.com/gXMief. Please pass this link on to anyone else who might be interested.

We would still like to hear from any parishioners who may need a helping hand during the weeks and months ahead. If you need help with shopping or other errands please contact the parish office (see panel for details).

We would also like to hear from parishioners who are able to assist those who need help. If you are in a position to help please contact us so that we can add you to the list of people that we can call on in case of need.

Latest News

During the Coronavirus crisis our Parish is potentially losing two thirds of the regular income generated through cash donations through the offertory. Whilst the best way to give is with a standing order and if you are a taxpayer allow us to reclaim the tax it is now possible to...

Coronavirus (Covid-19) has now spread worldwide, with confirmed cases in several countries where we work. Its spread to countries with poor health systems will be devastating. Our local experts need your support to continue protecting lives. Click on Continue Reading to find out how to donate Please follow...